Understanding
by AvatarTwilightObsession
Summary: She bit her lip, “Haru and I broke up...because I fell in love with someone else. With another guy. Who...I guess...wasn’t Haru." Aang wants Katara to understand. Kataang in 1,000 words. R&R x


**An Aang and Katara story in 1,000 words. Enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER – You all know how it goes. It must be done, much as I hate it. The fabulous Mike and Bryan own Avatar, as they put it on our screens for us to enjoy. Thank you, guys, for creating such a wonderful world...I don't know where I would be without Avatar. :D**

**Read on, my brave warriors!

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"Aang?"

"Yeah, Katara?" Aang asked, leaning back on his hands and glancing at her, lying with her hands folded across her stomach on the grass beside him – the sun lit up the mahogany tints in her hair. The wind gently playing across her curls, ruffling her thick locks, made him want to run his hands through them himself, just to see if her hair really was as silky as it looked.

She bit her lip, "Haru and I broke up...because I fell in love with someone else. With another guy. Who...I guess...wasn't Haru. I couldn't...I couldn't..." She sighed, running a hand through her hair, spreading it out over the ground, "I couldn't do it. Not anymore."

Aang's heart sank as he lay down properly next to her, folding his hands over his chest, unable to keep from asking, even though he'd heard it all before:

"Who?"

She could have bitten a hole in her lip, her teeth were pressing down on it so hard, "Aang...I can't...I don't..."

"Don't worry." He turned away, looking back up at the sky – dark clouds were dominating the heavens, exactly parallel to his mood right now...it looked as if it would rain soon. "You don't have to tell me. You never do."

She was silent – not what he wanted her to be. He wanted her to make him turn over again, call his name...tell him he was the one she had fallen in love with. That she couldn't tell him because it would be too embarrassing, or awkward, or it would ruin their friendship...he wanted her to say that she loved him, for once.

He loved her enough.

"Aang," she finally said – but it was not what he wanted to hear. It was her pitying 'Aang'...the 'Aang' she used when he didn't understand something, or he got something wrong...when she felt sorry for him. He couldn't handle that.

"I'll see you, Katara."

He stood, pulling his grey hood over his dark hair and shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. As he began to walk away, across the grass, towards the trees that bordered the clearing, the heavens opened. It began to rain.

He couldn't help but look back through the thickening sheets of heavy rain, that were already soaking through his hoodie and into his t-shirt, to see whether she had least moved under some cover. But she hadn't. She was still sitting in the middle of the grass, her beautiful head bowed – as he watched her, stopping for a second, she lifted her head, her deep blue eyes meeting his, staring back at him.

He waited – waited for her to do something...but she didn't.

And he gave up.

"Bye, Katara," he murmured, holding up his hand in a gesture of farewell – he didn't know if he could handle this anymore. Maybe he should take up that offer from the University in California, instead of here in London. At least, then, he would be away from her.

At least, then...he could maybe find someone else.

He turned around, forcing himself to concentrate on those thoughts, when a sudden cry interrupted his stride.

"Aang!"

She had finally moved, throwing herself off the ground towards him. He twisted toward her, watching her run toward him, her soaked hair flying out behind her; she stopped a foot away from him, breathing hard.

"Aang."

Something in her voice was different – it held the something Aang had wanted to hear. It gave him confidence to do what he did next.

He closed the gap between them in a second, taking a single step toward her, his long legs carrying him as far as he needed to go, then he put his hands either side of her face and pulled her lips to his, kissing her deeply, putting all he had into it, determined to make her see. Determined that, for once, she be the one who understood.

He could tell she was surprised; she stood stock still, non-responsive, her arms by her side. So he pulled back, gently letting her go – her eyes were wide and shocked – and he nodded to her, finding himself with nothing left to say.

"I'll see you, Katara," he repeated, then he turned to go, knowing that he could do more than he had.

It wasn't really meant to be, he supposed.

"Aang!" There was a sudden hand on his arm, pulling him round, stopping him short, and suddenly Katara's lips were on his again - but this time, she was the one kissing him. Her arms wound around him, and Aang closed his eyes after a split second of surprise, picking her up off her feet – she stood a head shorter than him – and holding her close, kissing her back with unquenchable enthusiasm. His mind was totally blank apart from one thought.

She had pulled him round, and kissed him.

There might be a chance that she wanted him the way he had always wanted her.

Slowly, she pulled back, an expression akin to astonishment gracing her beautiful features – Aang just smiled, wildly happy; nothing could bring him down in that moment. He had just kissed Katara. Twice. She was in his arms, clinging onto him, fingers locked around his neck, her face inches away from his.

Sure, it was raining. Sure, they were both completely soaked.

But that didn't matter.

For Katara, Aang's smile held everything. It was reassuring, and joyful – the brightest smile...a smile, she realised then, had always been Aang's. His signature grin.

And suddenly it was making her weak at the knees.

He was holding her tight, as if he never wanted to let her go...and at once, she understood.

"Aang..." she murmured, touching his rain-soaked cheek gently, as the heavens still poured down upon them from above, "It's you." She laughed lightly at the realisation of it, "It was always you."

He grinned at her for a second, and then he gently swept her down, dipping her and kissing her in one quick movement.

"Baby...you're my forever girl."

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**Well...I'm quite happy with that. 1,000 words, exactly :D**

**Yay!**

**Reviews are, as always, well appreciated. They are also win. :D**


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